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RARITAN TWP., N.J. (Hunterdon County) — The New Jersey Department of the Treasury’s Division of Taxation (“NJ Division of Taxation”) is informing residents to remain vigilant as criminal actors are posing as state tax collectors demanding payment on behalf of the State for alleged unpaid taxes.
To summarize, the NJ Division of Taxation DOES NOT contact taxpayers via text message regarding their tax accounts, refunds, or any other official matter.
Image Courtesy: NJ Division of Taxation
“Perpetrators also have been known to impersonate police officers who demand payment to satisfy a debt. If you are not sure the person on the other end of the line is a Division of Taxation employee or a collection agency representative, hang up,” the agency said in a statement.
This rising SMS text phishing (SMiShing) scheme typically references tax matters and often includes links or urgent prompts to respond. The state agency reminds Garden State residents that their office primarily relies on the U.S. mail to make the first contact with individuals about their unpaid taxes.
In most cases, the tax collection process will escalate only if you do not respond appropriately to mailed notices. The first notice of taxes owed will not demand immediate payment (especially using prepaid debit cards or cryptocurrency) or threaten you with law enforcement action.
If you have not received an initial notice in the mail, and someone calls or emails you stating you owe New Jersey taxes, there is a good chance that a scammer has targeted you. Any communication demanding payment with a pre-paid debit card or a gift card should be considered as fraudulent.
If a caller claims to be a New Jersey tax official, residents can verify the legitimacy of the correspondence by contacting the Division’s Customer Service Center at (609) 292-6400 or visiting their Tax Collection Scams resource page.
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) also has a consumer advice website dedicated to assist in identifying a scammer. To report a scam, there are some resources available to report your incident:
- The FTC’s Fraud Reporting website; or
- Forward the message via text message to 7-7-2-6 (SPAM).
- Your message will be sent to your wireless provider. By forwarding the message, you alert your mobile carrier about the potential spam.
- Your wireless provider will use this information to investigate the spam sender and potentially block the sender's number. Corrective actions may include blocking the content of the message, sharing the information with other carriers, shutting down the fraudulent number, or elevating your case to law enforcement, if necessary.
- No Charge: There is typically no charge for sending messages to the “SPAM” reporting number, and these messages do not count towards your texting plan.
Residents concerned they may have been scammed can also contact the Raritan Township Police Department’s non-emergency phone number at: (908) 782-8889.
About the agencies mentioned in this news release:
The New Jersey Department of the Treasury’s Division of Taxation (“NJ Division of Taxation”) is a government agency tasked with the administration of the State's tax laws uniformly, equitably, and efficiently to maximize State revenues to support public services. Their mission is to ensure that voluntary compliance within the taxing statutes is achieved without being an impediment to economic growth. To learn more, visit the Division’s webpage.
The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) is an independent federal agency entrusted to enforce civil antitrust law and promote consumer protection. When users report fraud, that information is shared with more than 2,800 law enforcement agencies and assists investigators to bring cases against fraud, scams, and bad business practices. More information can be found on the FTC’s homepage.
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